An automatic transmission of the type commonly used in automotive vehicles is controlled by a gear shift lever, located in a driving compartment of the vehicle and movable by a vehicle operator between positions corresponding to transmission gear ranges or modes such as “Park”, “Reverse”, “Neutral”, “Drive”, and “Low”.
In “Park” mode, a transmission output shaft of the vehicle is disengaged from a vehicle engine. Furthermore, a park lock mechanism, typically a pawl, is moved into locking engagement with a gear on the output shaft to thereby lock the output shaft against rotation.
In modern vehicles, park lock mechanisms are generally electro-hydraulically actuated. In the event of loss of both engine and electrical power, the automatic transmission will generally default to “Park”. In such situations, without any power to crank the engine, the park lock mechanism cannot be disengaged by electronic actuation. Such release may however be required, for example to tow the vehicle, before the engine can be restarted.
It is known to provide an (emergency) park lock release mechanism in vehicles for mechanically disengaging the park lock mechanism when required. Such a release mechanism typically comprises a Bowden cable connected to the park lock mechanism and a park release lever movable by a user to exert a tensile force on the Bowden cable sufficient to release the park lock mechanism.
In many vehicles the park release lever is mounted in a driving compartment, e.g. within a centre console. However, such mounting may not always be desirable, particularly since it complicates routing of the associated cable. In particular, at least two cable pieces are often required for such mounting due to routing challenges during manufacture.
To help generate the force required to release park lock mechanisms, park release levers have hitherto been of a substantial size. The substantial size of park release levers has restricted possibilities for alternative mounting, for example under the bonnet of a vehicle.
One prior art approach for eliminating the park release lever from the driving compartment without taking up excessive space under the bonnet is to offer a combination of a park release lever and an upper cable as a service tool, for connection with a lower cable found under the bonnet. While this arrangement saves space in the driving compartment and under the bonnet, it necessitates the carrying of a dedicated service tool.
It is an object of the invention to provide a lever for actuating a release mechanism of a vehicle, which lever does not require excessive space and offers convenient operation.